The present invention relates to a method for traffic-flow-conditioned adaptation of stopping processes to suit a synthetically modulated speed profile along a path taken by a vehicle and to a controller for performing the method.
At present, the motor control or operating strategy of motor vehicles, particularly of electrified vehicles or (plug-in) hybrid vehicles, quite predominantly involves the use of up-to-date sensor data for controlling the drive train.
In the case of plug-in hybrid vehicles, control of the drive train on the basis of the up-to-date sensor data is effected, according to the related art today, by an operating mode switch that can be used to change over between purely electric driving and hybrid driving. In the case of designs with a range extender, the “SOC preservation” (SOC=State of Charge) mode of operation is furthermore also known, in which the state of charge of the battery is preserved.
However, what is conventionally not taken into account for the motor control or operating strategy of motor vehicles is the total scheduled course of a journey. This is disadvantageous insofar as it does not allow the motor control or operating strategy to be optimally matched to the scheduled course.
To overcome this disadvantage, various methods have been developed. By way of example, DE 10 2008 035 944 A1 discloses a method for optimizing the operation of a motor vehicle on the basis of a plurality of parameters, wherein a journey route of the vehicle is ascertained by prescribing a journey destination, a plurality of different path parameters that are characteristic of a path profile for the ascertained journey route of the vehicle between the geometric location or a journey starting point for the vehicle and the journey destination are ascertained, and at least one driving condition is ascertained that is characteristic of the ascertained journey route of the vehicle between the geometric location of the vehicle or the journey starting point and the journey destination. By taking account of the path parameters and the driving condition, a setpoint speed of travel of the vehicle along the ascertained journey route is determined, the journey route being divided into a plurality of segments and the division of the journey route into segments taking place on the basis of the path parameters and/or the driving condition.
DE 10 2007 036 794 A1 discloses a method and an apparatus for stipulating the driving strategy of a motor vehicle, wherein for a prescribed route of travel a corridor is defined for a possible setpoint speed of travel with an upper and a lower speed limit over the path of travel.
DE 10 2008 010 558 A1 describes an apparatus and a method for operating a hybrid drive apparatus for a motor vehicle, which hybrid drive apparatus has at least two different drive units, particularly an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, wherein an operating strategy is set for the drive units on the basis of a path of travel, the path of travel being taken and at least one driving profile being ascertained and stored and the driving profile being taken as a basis for influencing the operating strategy when the path of travel is taken again.
US 2011/0005486 A1 discloses a vehicle control apparatus for a vehicle, which vehicle control apparatus automatically stops an internal combustion engine of a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is met, and starts the automatically stopped internal combustion engine when a predetermined start condition is met. A stopping point detection unit ascertains a stopping point at which the vehicle possibly stops while the vehicle is travelling on the basis of map information that is stored in a map information memory unit. A trip information control unit stores trip information in a trip information memory unit that comprises a state of the vehicle that stops at a stopping point and a state of the vehicle that passes a stopping point. A stop determination unit takes the trip information stored in the trip information memory unit as a basis for determining whether the internal combustion engine is stopped when the vehicle stops at a stopping point.
DE 10 2010 047 080.5 A1 proposes a method for extracting a data record that reproduces the predicted speed of a vehicle over a multiplicity of points on the path of a route or alternatively assigns a speed to times that are defined for a journey on the route. In both alternatives, the whole of the data record reveals a speed profile.
According to DE 10 2010 047 080.5 A1, a first data record is first of all provided that assigns points on the path to a multiplicity of paths or routes (route sections) (where possible on a complete road network). In addition, a second data record is provided that defines a plurality of processes, wherein the defining variables provided are at least an input speed and an output speed (maneuver class matrix). In the course of the provision of the second data record, preferably only such processes (maneuvers) as actually arise in each case on the basis of their definition or at least in a similar form are defined. In this context, a process can be compiled from a plurality of subprocesses.
According to DE 10 2010 047 080.5 A1, a predetermined route is selected and, for the route, a provisional speed profile for the journey by a particular vehicle over the predetermined route is ascertained. The route is split, in particular the route is split completely, into path sections, specifically such that each path section is assigned a process (maneuver) from the processes defined in the second data record.
Preferably, the method according to DE 10 2010 047 080.5 A1 involves a plurality of routes being taken and this involving measured values for the vehicle speed being extracted at particular points on the path. The experience that is indirectly reflected in the measured values is then rendered visible in direct fashion by defining a plurality (but preferably a finite number) of processes (maneuvers) that have an associated input speed and an associated output speed, the definition being provided on the basis of the extracted measured values.
The data record for modulation of the speed profile according to DE 10 2010 047 080.5 A1 contains all of the requisite information, such as initial and final speeds, for all maneuvers.
Moreover, DE 10 2012 004 258.2, which is not a prior publication, relates to how the speed and acceleration values that are in the maneuver class matrix are ascertained for the various maneuvers (maneuver classes).
According to the related art, there is therefore currently optimization of the motor control or operating strategy for vehicles, such as electrified vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles, over a path only on the basis of a synthetically modulated speed profile without taking account of the actual traffic scenario when taking the selected path.
This is disadvantageous insofar as it means that the maximum consumption potential of a vehicle, particularly of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, cannot be used by the customer.